So I bought 5 new honey gouramis. Was worried because they kept breathing from the surface. I know they're labyrinth fish n all, but they were continuously chomping. Turns out they're fine? They just like eating surface film? Why has no one told me gouramis eat surface film? Yall should see the surface rn It's crystal. Essential clean up crew members from now on honestly
I go to my LFS on Fridays so that I can see their shipments before the weekend crowd gets in, and the downside of this is that all the fish are on the pale side from stress because of their recent travel and unpacking. However, when I found her in the tank, she had a very clear horizontal brown stripe, which makes me certain that this honey gourami is female! She lost it in the bag here (again, due to the stress of traveling in my car), but she colored up in the tank within minutes.
feat. Jin Ling lurking in the back like a serial killer
All of the neon tetras were very interested in greeting her. Please just imagine that seagull scene from Finding Nemo where they're all going, "Mine?!" except it's my obese tetras chanting, "Food?!"
No. Fish are friends, not food. How are you this fat, I barely feed you any more!! I'm convinced they've figured out how to bite off the bottom feeder pellets I give the loaches once they soften up a bit.
I'M NOT TOUCHING YOU
Here she is trying to give Jin Ling a handshake with her feeler fins. He's not very receptive to friendship right now because he's got his breeding stripes on and is building a comically oversized bubble nest in that corner of the tank, but I'm hoping they get along once he calms down and feels less territorial. She definitely isn't as skittish as he is, and he stops chasing her once she leaves his bubble nest corner alone.
If I looked like that I'd admire my own reflection, too.
Overall, she is a very pretty and sweet fish! Even if it is difficult to take non-blurry photos of her due to how quick she is. I have high hopes that she will adapt well to the tank. Everyone in it is healthy, so if she survives the overall stress of transport and makes it the next few days, things should hopefully turn out great!